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a a Moments after finishing his introductory press conference, new Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley ran into a familiar face coming down the hall, just outside the room that is home to the team’s six Lombardi Trophies.

It was Joe Greene, Steelers Hall of Famer and now a member of the player personnel department.

Haley has fond memories of Greene, ones that began when he was a ball boy for the team back in the 1970s. It was a time when Haley was thrilled to be among some of the greatest players to wear a Steelers uniform, when they were winning four of those Super Bowl trophies and his father Dick was the team’s director of player personnel.

For Haley, joining the Steelers coaching staff is about football first and foremost. But it’s about something else too. It’s about coming home to where his love of football began. It’s about family.

“I want to let everybody in this room know just how genuinely excited I am to be part of the Pittsburgh Steelers family,” said Haley. “I say family because that is what I know it as. All of my early memories in life somehow revolved around the Steelers. My earliest memory was watching the Immaculate Reception. Those things have stayed with me and are a big part of who and what I am.

“I am very grateful Coach (Mike) Tomlin and the Rooney family thought enough of me to have me here to help be a part of continued greatness. In my mind it’s the greatest organization in the NFL and the greatest team. That all comes from the heart. I am excited I am here now, working amongst the coaches and getting to know them and the players. I had to prepare for the Steelers last year. Now, it’s a little different. I am just trying to use up every second that I have to move forward and have some fun.”

Haley hasn’t had an opportunity yet to meet with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger or any other players, as he is still just getting his feet wet and getting to know the coaching staff better.

But the one thing on everyone’s mind at the press conference was what his offensive philosophy will be with the Steelers. He indicated that the best practice is not to necessarily come in and try to implement a whole new system, but instead work with the pieces that are already in place to make it succeed.

“We are going to do as a group what we see fit that gives us the best possible chance to succeed,” said Haley. “I have never been a big system guy. We have terminology or a vocabulary that we use and thankfully there is a lot of carry over that we are finding out here as we go through the process. So that is a big positive in my mind. But with that being said, we are going to start from a clean slate and figure out what give us the best possible chance to succeed and score a lot of points.”

While with the Arizona Cardinals as the offensive coordinator Haley’s teams had great success in the passing game with quarterback Kurt Warner and receiver Larry Fitzgerald. As the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs it was the running game that flourished in 2010 with back Jamaal Charles.

“I am just a believer offensively that you do what gives you the best chance to succeed,” he said. “So if your best chance to succeed is to run the ball 63 times a game, then you run the ball 63 times a game. I am going to do what gives our players the chance to be the best they can possibly be because generally when that is occurring, you are doing well. I am not a statistics guy as far as end of the year stats, but I want to protect the football and score points.”

The Steelers are a team that has seen the passing game flourish over the last few years, with some looking for more emphasis on the running game as well. For Haley the emphasis isn’t about run or pass, it’s much bigger.

“Emphasis on winning,” said Haley. “There is a very high expectation here in the city of Pittsburgh. I grew up here. I understand what is expected from the fans and the city of Pittsburgh. The Steelers are just such a great part of this town and that is where my excitement is, to come back and be a part of this great tradition, and not be part of it in an average sense.

“We have one goal and that is very clear. We want to win as many games as we can, and play in those big games that we just had to sit and watch, which isn’t a lot of fun.”

And hopefully, add to the Lombardi Trophies, but this time his name being on one of them instead of his father’s.

As I listen to the PC, what I like most is that Haley mentions more than once the goal of "scoring points." Not scoring is what led to BA's release. Rooneys and MT know that scoring high is where the league is going.

AND the fact that he brought up doing WHATEVER gives us the best chance to succeed and not being a "system guy". i am psyched!

i'm so geeked for this hiring. i like his philosophy of doing whatever it takes to succeed!!! not doing what you want to do and keep doing it even when it's not working.

with an upgrade at o-line, this offense could and should battle with the packers, saints, and pats as most potent in the league.

"Today, I'm officially retiring a Pittsburgh Steeler. And as much as I will miss football, my teammates, coaches and everything about the game, I don't want to play it in any other uniform. The black and gold runs deep in me, and I will remain a Steeler for life."--Hines Ward

After hobnobbing around the NFL in the press boxes and sidelines, sports reporter Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard as a sometime host on ESPN 970-AM. Follow him on Twitter at dlolleyor.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2012
Thoughts on Haley
I have largely reserved my thoughts on the Steelers' hiring of Todd Haley to this point.

But after meeting with Haley today and then hearing what Ben Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette, I can hold back no longer.

Roethlisberger reportedly told the P-G that he has heard from a lot of people regarding Haley, some good some bad, but that he is reserving judgment.

He then, however, said he'd hate to see the offense changed because it could set the team's young receivers back two or three years.

Which ones? The ones who have only been in the league for two or three years?

That is a ridiculous statement by Roethlisberger and, though Haley did not address the quarterback's comments directly, he did say that players usually see that he has their best interests at heart when he is doing things.

Roethlisberger liked Bruce Arians. And he was comfortable with Arians as offensive coordinator because he got to call a lot of the shots.

That dynamic is now gone and Roethlisberger is wary of what the results will be.

I get that.

But the Steelers made the decision to move on from Arians because they felt he was an enabler.

We always heard the excuses. The Steelers were a play away here or there, they weren't all on the same page, etc., etc.

Haley won't settle for excuses. He'll want results.

And if that means not playing Chris Kemoeatu at left guard for two seasons longer than he should have, so be it.

If that means Roethlisberger will be forced to get the ball out of his hands more quickly to take fewer sacks in an attempt to keep him from being injured, that's just dandy as well.

Haley has shown that he's not afraid to call what he thinks his team does best. When he was with the Cardinals, it was a prolific passing attack. When he moved on to Kansas City, a power-running game took over.

As Haley said Thursday, his emphasis is on winning. And Roethlisberger, who is as competitive as they come, won't have a problem with that.

Ben has a habit of saying things that don't always come off right in print but usually end up being not quite so bad if you can hear them in audio form. Be that as it may I too was reading between the lines when I read Ben's comments and thinking to myself that he might have been able to choose better words.